Influence of pedestrian grouping dynamics on evacuation efficiency in
underground flooded stairs: a 3D numerical assessment
Abstract
The increasingly recurrent urban floods pose significant risks to
underground spaces and their users. Often essential in these scenarios,
stairs present unique challenges during floods as they serve as pathways
for evacuation and for the incoming water. With most of the prior
studies focusing on studying a single individual, the impact of group
dynamics on flooded stairs remains underexplored. This study addresses
this gap investigating how these dynamics influence evacuation
efficiency and safety through a 3D numerical analysis. This research
introduces realistic human body dummies along the stairs to simulate
various pedestrian arrangements under a discharge of 0.423 m
3/s. Hydrodynamic forces and Momentum of Flow (MF) and
Specific Force Per Unit Width (SFPUW) safety criteria are calculated to
evaluate hazardous conditions. Pedestrian arrangements include a single
individual at different positions, as well as tandem and side-by-side
arrangements. Results revealed significant variations in the
water-dragging forces based on positions and grouping dynamics. Notably,
compared to isolated cases, side-by-side arrangements exhibited
increased water-exerted force on both side-by-side and downstream
individuals, while tandem configurations showed reductions in dragging
forces on trailing pedestrians. The affectation of forces diminished
when the separation between them increased. This study highlights
potential bottlenecks, evaluates evacuation strategies, and provides
insights to enhance safety protocols in underground infrastructure
during flood events, contributing to urban resilience and flood risk
mitigation strategies.